Creating branded content is one of the most versatile ways to use your platform to boost engagement and traffic to your site or business! It’s also an excellent way to develop your writing skills, ad creative talent, and digital marketing strategies.
If you are reading this article, then there’s a good chance that you have determined that your current career path isn’t working for you. Or perhaps you’re ready to launch your own business but don’t know where to start. Either way, creating your own piece of branded content can help you achieve your goal!
Branded content doesn’t need to be expensive, easy to make, and it doesn’t even have to relate directly to your field. All that is required is creativity, solid research, and engaging writing. By offering your readers something valuable they want, you will see results in increased sales and audience engagement.
Luckily, technology makes producing branded content easier than ever before. Tools such as social media management systems, website builders, video editing software, and rich content writers make it possible to produce quality material quickly and easily.
In fact, many companies now offer paid services that do some (or all) of the work for you so that you can focus on other things. This is especially helpful if you are not very experienced with using computer programs like Photoshop or PowerPoint.
The best part about these tools is that anyone can use them.
As we mentioned before, marketing videos are usually focused more on promoting a product or service. They may even contain some entertainment value to keep your attention while they promote for you.
However, that’s only one type of video! There is another kind of video that can be considered branded content. These types of videos aim to create an emotional connection with the viewer by exploring something interesting about yourself or someone close to you.
They are typically narrated and not feature length, but they could take any amount of time depending on what content the filmmaker was filming and how it fits into the film’s narrative.
Branded content doesn’t have to be totally unrelated from your company, however. You can use your expertise in the field to make it engaging and entertaining.
Creating branded content can be fun! There are many ways to do it, but one of the most common is creating a promotional video or article. This is probably your favorite way to advertise for your business because you get to pick the topic and content yourself!
You may have heard of companies that create “sponsored posts” on social media sites like Facebook. These are articles and/or videos with an advertisement attached to them. The advertising company will pay the blogger or writer to write about their product or service so that they can spread their message and influence voters to purchase their products.
This is similar to what we mentioned before in our article about sponsored tweets. Only this time, the advertisements are much longer and more elaborate. Companies spend big money to make sure their ads are interesting and engaging enough to keep people watching.
Some examples of well-done promotional videos include:
Videos telling stories (this has become very popular online)
News reports (news is a good source of information free of sponsors)
Question & Answer websites (your business can ask questions and get answers from potential customers!)
Direct messages on social networking sites
Running a special event at your location or offering coupons for visits to your site
The above list was adapted from those listed by Social Media Examiner as types of promotional videos. Others might add other ideas such as making a conference talk available via YouTube or starting your own channel.
Editorial videos are YouTube content that have an aim to inspire, motivate or educate your audience. They are typically longer than one minute and focus on only topic matter and/or message.
Editorial videos for branded channels tend to be more focused on promoting a product or service. These can include commercials, testimonials, outtakes, etc.
For example, let’s say you are reading this article on how to do your nails at home. A great way to learn more about this is by watching a beauty video. Many brands will use their expertise in products to create a nail tutorial or tips on best practices for doing your own nails.
A second option would be to watch a promotional video for the same product. This could go into greater detail or show off some features of the product!
And finally, if you're looking to take your DIY skills to the next level, try searching online for "how to do [insert pretty thing here]" where [insert pretty thing here] is replaced with any cosmetic element (toothbrush, shampoo, face wash, lotion, etc.). You may also find it helpful to search through pictures of the item done properly so you get inspired on what steps to follow.
Another way to make your content more engaging is to create your own videos! This can be done through a website or app that has you upload or link your existing media (YouTube, Facebook, and others offer this feature) and then you edit it to fit into our topic!
You get to choose if these are live streams, pre-recorded videos, or both.
As we mentioned, most people start off creating podcasts by picking an idea or topic they want to talk about and then looking for someone else with a similar show to make it as their host. This is not a good way to run a podcast!
As a host, you will need to create a tone and environment that feels natural to you. You will also have to pick your guests wisely so that the content flows naturally.
Your listeners are investing in you (for money) so you should really know what you’re talking about!
There are some great resources out there where you can learn how to be a better speaker, radio hosts, and even professional speakers. While none of these are completely free, many offer very affordable training courses or books that can help you get started.
But before you begin hosting a podcast, here are some things you should do first!
Organize – Make sure you organize all of your materials and equipment ahead of time. This includes recording software, microphones, headphones, cables, etc.
– Make sure you organize all of your materials and equipment ahead of time. This includes recording software, microphones, headphones, cables, etc.
As mentioned earlier, creating engaging content for social media is not just about posting pictures and random statements – it’s much more than that! If you are trying to get people to notice your business or brand, then there must be something special about it.
You have to establish what makes your product or service stand out from the rest. For example, if my article topic was how to do your nails professionally, I would definitely include pictures of professional nail artists and tips gathered from YouTube videos.
But what if your business does not relate to doing hands beautiful? Then what? Using our previous example, what if my article topic was how to take good care of your skin? Would including some information about makeup products fit the theme better?
We cannot assume anything when it comes to marketing our own businesses and brands. We have to think outside the box and create content that will connect with their needs.
That is why it is so important to identify your audience. Who uses your services or products and what they want. By knowing these things, you can make content that appeals to them.
Creating branded content for your business can be fun, cost-effective, and powerful way to promote your products or services.
The term “branded content” has grown in popularity over time as companies realize how effective it is in generating interest in their products and creating online conversations.
Branded content doesn’t necessarily mean you have to write an article about health benefits of red wine, but it does require writing for the purposes of promoting a product or service.
It's easy to create content that is heavily promotional. After all, most people start their day by checking out the latest trends in self-help books, diets, and motivational speeches.
As we discussed, content is king! Making sure that you have enough content to keep people coming back to your site or listening to an article you posted online is important.
But how do you make sure that your audience does not skip past your content? You need to add another element to your content – it needs to be branded.
What is branding, exactly? That’s what I would like to talk about in this article!
Branding is when someone creates their own image of what a product or service is supposed to look like. It can be done through advertising, media, or even word of mouth. People who brand products and services know what they want to see and feel about them.
For example, if you were buying shoes from a company, you would expect them to feature pictures of other shoes from the same line along with lots of reviews. They might also use flashy colors and designs. All these things are part of giving your self-image as a buyer for the shoe company.
That is why there are so many brands of footwear out there; everyone has different tastes and styles that match theirs. The same goes for car companies, technology, and anything else.
Content writers will sometimes get paid extra to write about certain brands or products. This is because they have built up a reputation for themselves by creating good quality material about whatever field they are trained in.
